Mu'Ammar Ali, who had gained just 59 yards on 23 carries the week before against Idaho State, was grateful.

'I was brought here to make plays,' he says. 'Last week, I was trying to score three touchdowns on one play, trying to do too much, too soon.'

Also making plays was wideout Tremayne Kirkland, back in the lineup after a one-game absence to heal a pinched nerve in his neck. He caught five of Sawyer Smith's passes for 120 yards.

'Sitting out for a week was probably the hardest thing I've ever done, next to redshirting,' says Kirkland, who missed the 2004 season at Nevada-Las Vegas with a shoulder separation.

With Kirkland, Brendan Ferrigno, Kenneth Mackins and fellow wideout Brandon Jones coming along - Jones caught his first PSU touchdown pass, a 22-yarder that capped the team's scoring - the Viks have a nice mix of targets for Smith.

'Brandon, Kenneth and I can all run 4.3 in the 40,' Kirkland says. 'We don't know who is faster. We're going to race at the end of the season.